Man who brought gun to Obama rally testifies at trial

BEAVER — John Noble said Wednesday he never intended to disrupt a presidential campaign rally in Beaver’s Irvine Park Aug. 29, instead going there to hand out gun-rights brochures.

Carrying a Bible and wearing a loaded, holstered 9mm pistol on his hip, he simply wanted to “mirror” Barack Obama’s comments several months earlier that bitter Pennsylvanians “cling to their guns and religion.”

“I thought it would be very evident what I intended,” said Noble, 51, of Industry.

But state police said Noble posted at least two messages on two gun-rights Web sites the morning of the Obama-Biden rally, posts that Beaver County Assistant District Attorney Frank Martocci labeled “a call to arms.”

“You intended for all this to happen, didn’t you?” Martocci asked, and Noble laughed as he responded, “Absolutely not.”

Noble is in a jury trial on charges of disrupting meetings and processions and disorderly conduct, in a case that has sparked debate on constitutional issues including gun ownership, free speech and the ability to peaceably assemble.

The morning of the rally, Noble’s wife, Janet, saw news of the event, and testified she called her husband, saying they should go, that maybe Obama would expand on his comments.

John Noble said he didn’t get responses to his online posts asking others to attend. Janet Noble urged him to attend, crying Wednesday as she recalled telling her husband, “He spoke to our hearts. If we don’t go, we’ll regret it.”

So the Nobles went to the rally, though they did not have tickets to get into the secured area of Irvine Park. John Noble wore his handgun, which he said he commonly did, and also carried a Bible and the fliers.

John Atkinson Sr. of Vanport Township testified that he noticed Noble with his gun as he walked passed McIntosh Square, adjacent to Irvine Park, near Third and Market streets in Beaver. Atkinson said he didn’t know it was legal to openly wear the gun, so he notified Beaver County deputy sheriffs.

“It was the situation of it, the first black guy (as nominee) for president of the United States. You never know what’s going to happen, all the crazy things people do these days,” Atkinson said.

Beaver police officer Chris Hreha and Beaver County deputy Sgt. Rich Yonlisky testified that Noble, without incident, was handcuffed for safety and his gun removed from his holster.

Noble testified that after he explained he was passing out the fliers, one of the police officers asked, “Who the heck do you think you are?” and he replied, “I think I’m an American,” and the officer, who wasn’t named, replied, “No, you’re not, you’re under arrest.”

TROOPER’S VIEW

State police trooper Shawn Schexnaildre said that there was a “significant movement of people” away from the area as Noble was taken into custody.

Schexnaildre said Noble told him that “he was there to show Mr. Obama Pennsylvanians do in fact cling to their guns and religion.”

Schexnaildre said he was concerned with the word “show,” in the context of the rally. Did that mean Noble wanted to harm Obama? Did he simply want to show his holster?

Once Schexnaildre saw Noble’s blog postings, he said he believed Noble “called for people to come help him disrupt this meeting.”

Schexnaildre said Noble never threatened anyone with the gun and was a “gentleman” when he was in custody before being released that night.

“It was his statement to me that led us here today,” Schexnaildre said.

Defense attorney Stephen Colafella pointed out that there were pro-life protesters across the street from the rally, and Schexnaildre responded, “(Noble) didn’t show up with picket signs, he showed up with a pistol, and that’s the difference.”

SENSE AND RIGHTS

In opening statements, Martocci, himself a gun owner, told jurors that the case had nothing to do with gun rights. State police said Noble didn’t break any laws by wearing the weapon; you do not need a permit to “open carry” a gun.

But with heavy security for a presidential candidate, “It simply was the wrong place and the wrong time to have a firearm,” Martocci said. “There is a time and a place for everything. It’s not the common-sense thing to do. It’s not the right thing to do, bringing a gun into that situation.”

Colafella dismissed Martocci’s statement that the case did not affect gun rights, saying, “What (prosecutors) in effect have done by filing charges is say, ‘We can legislate when and where you can exercise those rights.’ ”

“Could you imagine what would have happened if the blog would have come to fruition?” Knafelc said, adding that “100 people with guns” likely would have overwhelmed security, which included local, state and federal agencies.

During breaks in testimony Wednesday, Noble was surrounded by family and fellow gun-rights supporters, many of whom wore handguns to the courthouse, but were required to leave them in gun lockers at the entrances.

Closing arguments are scheduled for this morning.

Bill Vidonic can be reached online at bvidonic@timesonline.com.

BLOG POSTS

Prosecutors said John Noble intended to disrupt the Aug. 29 presidential campaign rally for Barack Obama and Joe Biden. State police said Noble posted messages on two Web sites urging others to come to the rally with guns.

According to trial testimony, here are portions of the posts:

Come to Beaver tonite and show Obama (w)hat a Bible toten gun owner really looks like. — OpenCarry.org Bring your gun and Bible to Beaver tonite, lets show Obama how we hug our Bibles and guns. On a different note Pres McCain picked a gun toten women from Ak as his running mate. This is going to be good. Stay safe Mtn Jack. — Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association

THE CHARGES

John Noble is charged with two offenses: a misdemeanor count of disrupting meetings and processions and a summary count of disorderly conduct.

The statute for the misdemeanor reads, in part, that a person commits the offense if “with intent to prevent or disrupt a lawful meeting, procession or gathering, he disturbs or interrupts it.”

The jury will not consider Noble’s fate on the disorderly conduct charge. If Noble is convicted on the disrupting a meeting charge, Beaver County Judge Harry Knafelc will rule on the summary offense.

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